February 9, 1891

Faith Manifested by Works

EGW

I will never advocate the popular theory that it does not matter what doctrine men espouse, if they only have faith. “Faith without works is dead, being alone.” Genuine faith will be expressed by good works. We are looking for that blessed hope and the glorious appearing of the great God, and our Saviour Jesus Christ. We may not be living when Christ shall come in power and great glory, for all are subject to death at any time, but if we are righteous, in harmony with the law of God, we shall respond to the voice that will call the people of God from their graves, and shall come forth to receive immortality. It is only the blessed and holy who will be ready for the first resurrection; for when Christ comes, he will not change the character. The change that will take place will be that change spoken of by Paul when he says: “We shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump; for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.” The word of God declares that we must be found blameless, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing. Now we are to learn obedience, submission to the divine will, that God may work in us to will and to do of his good-pleasure, and that we may work out our own salvation with fear and trembling. But our own efforts are of no avail to atone for sin or to renew the heart. Only the blood of Christ can atone for us; his grace alone can create in us a clean heart, and enable us to obey God's law. In him is our only hope.ST February 9, 1891, par. 1

An infinite sacrifice has been made. Christ clothed his divinity with humanity, and came to the world to be our example. He was a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief. The prophet says: “Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows; yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities, the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.” Jesus bore insult and mockery while he was toiling, going from place to place to save fallen men. He was hunted by the scribes and the Pharisees, and he fled from town to town, from city to city, to escape their malice, and to preserve his life till his mission should be completed. He was the light of the world, but the world knew him not. Those who professed to be devout servants of God, acted as spies, and sought to find something in him by which they might condemn him. His life was one of self-denial and self-sacrifice for others, one of love, that reached out to the suffering and the fallen.ST February 9, 1891, par. 2

Behold him in the garden of Gethsemane. The burden of the sins of the world was upon him, while the powers of darkness oppressed his soul, and he poured out his prayer of agony to his Father, saying, “If it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as thou wilt.” Great drops of blood fell from his brow and moistened the sod of the garden, and the mysterious cup trembled in his hand; the destiny of a lost world was hanging in the balance. Should he wipe the drops of agony from his brow, and go out from Gethsemane, and leave lost man in his sins?ST February 9, 1891, par. 3

Then came up before him the misery of the lost race, and he consented to take the cup of suffering and drink it to the very dregs. He gave himself up to the hands of his enemies. Judas betrayed him into the power of the exultant priests and rulers. He was taken to the judgment-hall, and it seemed that all humanity was lost from the hearts of these men, who professed the greatest piety. They dragged him from one tribunal to another that they might rejoice and gloat over the sufferings of their prisoner. They exulted that at last the man Jesus was in their power, and they delighted to insult, mock, and humiliate him. Thus, pale and weak and weary, he was treading the wine-press alone, and of the people there was none with him. But yet he was not unnoticed; angels were watching the divine Sufferer. The heavens grew dark, the earth was rent when he cried in agony, hanging between two thieves, and dying as a malefactor. And who was he?—He was the Majesty of heaven, the divine Son of God. He was suffering that sinful man might not perish in his transgression. Jesus did not endure all this that we might continue in sin, but that he might save us from our sins. He came to bring moral power to men, to unite humanity with divinity, so that through his grace man might be an overcomer. How desirous we should be to build upon Christ, to rivet our souls to the eternal Rock! The religion of Jesus is the only genuine religion, and this we should possess, cost what it may, but we should desire nothing of that cheap counterfeit of religion that has a name to live and is dead. We should seek for the converting power of God in our hearts. We should forsake sin because it is an offense to God, the transgression of his law, and turn to Christ, to love and follow him, that he may not be ashamed to call us brethren.ST February 9, 1891, par. 4